Incinerator



Aug. 1,1944. M. Epen-EIN Em. 'l 2,354,747

INvENrons MILTON EPsTEIN FRANC/s B. -FILLO ATroNEY Aug. 1, 1944. M-

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FIGB. f 'f- EPSTEIN ET AL.

INCINERATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ed March 29, 1943 I NVENTOHS MILTON EPSrE/N FRANC/5 B. F/LLO ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 1, 1944 -UVNfITED- Y-STATIflflfSj PATENT OFFICE f n 2,354,747 r INcINnMToRr l Milan Epsteinana France n'. Fino, si. Louis, M0. n 'ApplicationMlcliZ 1943, Serial No: 481,034

(on 11o- 7) 4=Claims.

This vinvention relates' to improvements in means and methods for the disposal of waste or scrap explosive materials such as comprises oifal inthe manufacture of ordnance, andthe prin-y cipalobject of the invention is to provide anl improved incinerator plant for the immediate, complete and safe disposal of such materials.

More particularly it is an object of our inven` tion t-o provide a plant of this character" whereinthe furnaces in which the waste explosives are Fig. 1 is a plan View of the incinerator plant hereof Fig. 2 is an-V elevational view, partly in section,`

showing the furnace'structure andv a portion ofi the conveyor; y

vFlig..3A is a sectional planvievvytaken 3-3- of liig. 4," and Fig.' 4 isv a partly sectional elevationalview V Referring now-byl characters of` reference'tothe drawings, the furnace-structure'generally is' The loading and control station' comprise a separat'estructure 2 ylocated at afdis-v designatedl-.

tance from the furnace. In-the illustrated'installation a single furnace ismshown bu'tfin prac-- tice it is desirable to provide severalseparated furnace structures similar in design and construction* to the one' herein described, each adapted toV be charged and controlled from the station 2, such provision permitting of the periodic cleaning and required repair work without necessitating complete shut-down of the plant.

The furnace proper includes a concrete foundation structure 3, preferably cast in situ below the ground level, and consists of a base slab I and side walls 5 and 6 rising therefrom which together denne a cubiform chamber or combustion pit, open at the top, for reception of the fire-pot or crucible 'L The base slab extends laterally beyond the Walls 5 tc provide oor porat une tions for' valve chambers 8 whicnenclose the tion",V the inner wall surfaces ofthc crucible slop-1 ing outwardly from theiloor toupper'edge.' Al builtin cone I5 ofre'fract'ory material rises'centlally from the'floor of thecruc'ibleto'aheight:

which is preferably'in eXcess'vof onetl 1ir'd-of` lthe depth of the crucible.

The combustion equipment includesy thepair of burners Ill which-may be either' AofV gas* or AoilA burning type, andthese extend through and arez tightly sealed within the side openings l3`r near the2 bottom of the pit, being directedtangen'tially of the Crucible space so that they coact to pro l duce aswirling ameof high velocity. f Fuel and combustion air are supplied the' burners through'- pipesA I6 andl Il which extend underground from the control building '2, a blowerv 'i8 in the con! trol room providing combustion air at the re'r--i quired pressure.VV Suitable magnetic or motor operated valves' i9vr andZ for thel fuel. and air' lines IE andll are located in the chamber Sand have controlagcncieslocated in the'control rooml of building 2. an'dfuel Vto maintain proper combustion within the Crucible.

25 which issecured inplace by an annular base flange 2'4,.and` guy rodsV 2 5, the lower edges, of( tl'ecupola beingembedded in the refr'actoryinaf terialfofv the crucible asindicated at 2,5, Fig. 4Q., A wire screen 2T mounted 4on thev upper end fofl the cupola serves to arrest sparks and' unconsumed particles and a conical cap 28 provides a closure and rain shed for the structure when not in use. Suitable provision for facilitating removal of the cap and screen is provided in the crane 29, and a ladder 30 enables easy access to the interior, as for cleaning purposes.

The described furnace is fed with the waste materials by means of a conveyor 3l which extends slopingly from the charging station of These valves vproportion the airl A pilot flame is supplied with'fuel' and combustion airy through pipes 2l 4and 22.l leading frompipes yIS and Il, individual hand` valves being provide'dfor the pilot supply pipe's Sur'mountin'g the crucible is 'a tapered cupolaj building 2 to the furnace through openings in the walls of these structures, the conveyor comprisa ing a trough 32 preferably consisting of a length of channel iron, in which is disposed to slide a pusher block 33. Brackets 34 secured at suitable intervals along the channel support an angulate roof or rain shed 35 and also support a track 36 for a slide member 31. The track 36 is desirably formed of lengths of oppositely disposed angle irons and the slide member 31 is comprised of a pair of plates secured one above the other in spaced relation to provide lateral groove ways to receive the inner edges of the track angles. A depending device 38 secured to the slide member has pivotally connected there to one end of a pusher rod 39, the 'opposite end of this rod being secured to the pusher block 33 which is shaped to the lcontour of the trough and preferably formed of non-ferrous materialsuch as bronze.

The described pusher assembly is driven by means of a continuous cable 40 carried by a pair of sheaves 4| mounted on brackets near the opposite ends of the run-Way, the cable being connected to the slide member 31. As will appear from Fig. 4 the run-way extends into the charging room and the drive sheave at this end is shown provided with a crank 42 for hand actuation.

Incineration of waste explosives is carried out in the described plant by depositing the material in paper boxes which are placed individually on the lloading end of the conveyor forwardly of the pusher which is then impelled along the runway by operation of the hand crank, the paper box and plete and rapid burning of the material is thereby obtained. Because of the tapered construction of the flre chamber and cupola forces from the ex' panding gases are directed upwardly through the open top, v Having described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An incinerator furnace comprising means forming a tapering combustion chamber which extends with gradually increasing diameter from the bottom to the top of the incinerator, the incinerator having a top opening substantially coexltensive with the upper end of the combustion chamber, and a side opening at the bottom of the combustion chamber, a conical projection rising centrally from the bottom to a point above said side opening, a horizontally disposed fluid-fuel burner sealed within said side opening and directed tangentially of the chamber, said burnerv being adapted to produce a swirling flame circulating about the central cone.

2. An incinerator furnace comprising a foundation structure formed to provide a central chamber and a pair of valve chambers on opposite sides of the central chamber, said valve chambers having access openings and removable closure plates therefor, a lining of refractory materialen the inner surface of the central chamber forming a burning space of gradually increasing diameter from bottom to top, a conical projection rising centrally from the bottom of the burning chamber, a pair of horizontally disposed burners on the opposite sides of the central chamber, projecting ,'tangentially into the burning space from said valve chambers, sealing means about said burners 'separating the burning chamber from the valve chambers, and an open-topped cupola structure of gradually increasing internal diameter from bottom to top, surmounting the foundation above said central chamber, and means for feeding Waste materials to the burning space through an opening in the side of said cupola structure.

3. An incinerator furnace comprising means forming a circular burning chamber of refractory material, said chamber being of gradually increasing diameter from bottom to top and having a conical projection rising centrally from the bottom, a pair of burners extending tangentially on opposite sides of said chamber near the bottom thereof, adapted toproduce a swirling llame circulating about said .conical projection, a cupola of gradually increasing internal diameter from bottom to top surmounting the burning chamber, said cupola having a side opening near the top thereof for the introduction of materials to be consumed, and 4a top opening substantially coexte'nsive with the upper end of the cupola.

4. An incinerator furnace for the consumption of waste explosives comprising a subterranian foundation structure formed to provide an upwardly open central chamber and separate valve chambers on opposite sides of the central chamber, said valve chambers having access openings and removable closure members for said openings, a lining of refractory material on the inner sur'- face of the central chamber forming a burning space of gradually increasing diameter from bottom to top, an upwardly convergent cone of refractory material rising centrally from the bottom of the burning chamber, a pair of horizontally disposed burners on opposite sides of the central chamber, projecting tangentially into the burning space from said valve chambers, said burners being adapted to produce a swirling flame circulating about said conical projection, a cupola of gradually increasing diameter from bottom to top, surmounting the burning chamber, said cupola having a side opening near the top thereof for the introduction of waste materials to be consumed, and a top opening which is substantially coextensive with its upper end, a spark arrestor top opening.

` MILTON EPSTEIN.

FRANCIS B. FILLO. 

